NHS forcing full time work. Childcare issues

[formerchild]

I have posted a bit about this elsewhere but the issues are intensifying.

I was a trainee nurse associate on a ward at a big trust in England. They have cancelled that contract due to covid 19 and have told us that we can either accept a lower paid job on a ward in the trust with a guarantee that we will have a place on our course when it restarts (could be many months or even over a year) or we leave without a guarantee.

Now they are saying we have to work full time in this new capacity with no flexibility guaranteed, it would need to be discussed after we start next week.

My issue is that I have small children and childcare issues have arisen. Originally at the start of the course my childcare plans were as follows
Monday MIL
Tuesday husband
Wednesday My mum
Thursday Nursery
Friday Nursery
Saturday and Sunday Husband

Husband is a doctor and no longer available on a Tuesday, MiL and mum can't have due to social distancing/being vulnerable and nursery has closed. I could get them into another nursery but the hours don't cover the hours needed for husband and I to work out required hours and would leave me earning £20 a day.

Can I accept a contract and go off sick? What are my options? What are other people doing in similar situations with childcare issues?

Our trust have emailed to say they will cover costs.

How old are DC, our nursery charges £25 for 08.00-18.00 including meals.

Can you discuss this with your manager. Surely a lot of nurses and doctors would be in the ame position. I would also seek out other nursery/childminders there are some that are still open. (CM would be cheaper option.)

2 and 4

I have tried discussing it but just being given no advice or information.

Wow that childcare price is amazing! Mine is ££59 daily and is ace round here (midlands)

This is deepest Cornwall, not sure we know what happens in the outside world

£25 a day is for age 5 - 12 though.

Was your trainee contract not full time?
If it was they are offering you an alternative, rightly so. It's not their fault your childcare is now not available. If you can't do it then you have to take your chances with a place being available for you when your course resumes. Dont accept it and then go on the sick, I'd image that will completely ruin your chances.

I accept a contract and go off sick?

But you aren’t sick, you have childcare issues.

Dont feel bad about going sick basically you are pushed into a corner I'm currently supposed to be working 30 hours per week but guess what the work nursery has closed...... but still we are supposed to work from home????? I have two options - leave my job or go sick.

Oh and yes childcare where i live £80 per day per child.

You can’t go on sick surely? You’re not sick?

Just tell them you don’t have childcare, there are so many in the same boat.

I know I'm not sick. I am asking what I do in this situation. I have emailed so many different people within the trust and had no advice or help. What can I do? I can't leave them at home they're 2&4

It's a crisis. There's a lot of pressure and stress for a lot of people.
Lots of managers in lots of different organisations are sending all sorts of very bossy emails as they are collapsing under pressure and passing it on by being arseholes to their staff.
Now we know most NHS staff are women with caring responsibiltiies outside work even outside of the current crisis.. Theoretically your bosses can say they will only have full time workers but you know they will be lucky to find them and really need to take what they can get at the current time. It's really an employees market in this time not the employers. They also still have to work in a non discriminatory manner and that involves not treating you worse because you are a mother. I would check as well with your union for their advice.

Don't panic and let them push you in to a corner - remember they need you.

Jesus fuck. YOU CANT GO ON SICK IF YOU AREN'T SICK.
What a pisstake.
To answer, you find a nursery that can care for your child or tell your boss you cant work those required hours. We could do with our NHS not shelling out false sick pay.

Ring your local families information service and they will give you details of childminders who are open for key workers. We can only do it if both parents are key workers and working outside of the home.

Hi OP, you’ll get a hard time here. I’m NHS working as part of a team organising childcare for staff without other options - you should accept the contract, you will then become a key worker. You should contact your local council to advise them of this change in your circumstance and they will then allocate you local childcare provision. Some trusts are funding this, other aren’t so you’ll have to ask the HR department (usually where this sits but not always)

Please don’t take a contract then go off sick. You are not sick and you will be taking employment from someone who is able to work at a time when resources are stretched to the max.

You need to speak to your line manager.

Of course you can't accept the contract and go off sick. Don't be ridiculous!

But surely working the two days you can (weekends) is better than not working at all?

I would explain you are doing the best to find alternative childcare but are struggling. Explain you are prepared to leave if they don't work with you. Right now they need you more than you need them. Going off sick is not the answer.

Don’t go sick, it’s a piss take for the rest of your team
You need to speak to your manager, and if you get anywhere with them HR
I would imagine you’ll have to take unpaid leave until you have found a childcare placement, or they may give you emergency dependents leave which is paid for a short while, dependant on your trusts policy

A lot of us are scrambling for child care at the moment.

I would take the hit and put them into nursery despite the costs. I assume you'vr worked hard in your training to get to where you are, and wouldn't want to throw that away? I assume annual/unpaid leave is cancelled, that's what I'm having to do until this is over.

This crisis won't be forever, your mum will be able to pick up eventually.

What @tomatoesandstew and @Randomness12 said.

Don't go on sick.

Not only is it a shitty thing to do to your new colleagues, it could be used against you if you are required to go through a probation period or they're looking to let go of people in the next 2 years.

Take the contract but only if they ensure you work part time only. Request fixed days if possible, explaining your situation. If they refuse, quit. I wouldn't even bother continuing the NA course if this is their attitude. The NHS needs you more than you need them.
There are other healthcare roles in the private sector that pay more money.

Au pair?
Nanny?
Teens in local area old enough to babysit?
Colleagues who are not on shift that day?
Bring children into the hospital/ward and tell them it's "bring your child to work day"

"Jesus fuck. YOU CANT GO ON SICK IF YOU AREN'T SICK.
What a pisstake.
To answer, you find a nursery that can care for your child or tell your boss you cant work those required hours. We could do with our NHS not shelling out false sick pay."

To find a nursery to cover these hours for both children is going to cost me more than they are paying me in light of the massive paycut they are forcing us to take.

I've asked if I can have a zero hours contract or work part time or change my hours, all have been denied. If they would guarantee me a place back on the course once it restarts I would gladly leave the trust and take up a different job I have been offered that is willing to take my childcare situation into account